Wendy Time: Re-purpose Project #2: Vintage Shoe Clips AKA How my grandma helps make even my ponytails dressy ;)

A few posts back, I professed my love of many a vintage "thing". And I also shared that my grandma was the beginning of that love. Most of my treasures are for the pure enjoyment of collecting and displaying, but there are a few things I look for to use in new ways. My idea for using vintage shoe clips in a re-purposed project came after a very sad time in my life 14 years ago. My grandparents on my mom's side were literally daily fixtures in my world. My mom and I are both only children and were very close with them. They died within seven weeks of each other back in 1998. That left the task of sorting through their house to my mom and myself. And, of course, while it was extremely emotionally draining, it was also a great opportunity for my mom and I to rediscover them as people. I found my grandma was a borderline hoarder, which gave my mom and I near crying fits of laughter on the things we found; which included TONS of household items still in their original, unopened wrappers with faded price tags from Gold Circle, Clarkins and Kmart at ridiculous prices! Every time we discovered a "new" item, we played a little game of name that price! I also discovered from where I got my shoe shopping gene and overall love of fashion. I kept a LARGE amount of her better quality, everyday jewelry. I might not wear it all, but it's such a reminder of how put together she always was, that it makes me smile every time I open my jewelry chest and see her necklaces dangling from the hooks. While combing through the boxes and boxes of jewelry, we came across some of her older costume jewelry and a large collection of shoe clips. The clips were gorgeous, colorful, sparkly and well-kept. Now, while shoe clips weren't necessarily the fashion rage back then (in 1998), nor are they now, I KNEW I had to find a modern day use for them.

The idea didn't hit me until later that summer as I was unpacking from moving into my first apartment. I started to get ready for a night out with friends to celebrate my new apartment. It was HOT and there was no way I could wear my hair down, so a pony it was. But I didn't want to wear a boring, rubber band only version...enter the shoe clips! I found the perfectly sparkly rhinestone heart shoe clip, snapped it on my pony and BOOM! instant pony pick-up!

As with most things vintage, let alone things vintage in PAIRS, it is incredibly difficult to find items in perfect condition. But with shoe clips, as long as one of them is in great condition, you can use the other as a "replacement" source for rhinestones, beads and other adornments. If you do happen to find two in great condition, you can layer them together on the same pony, use them in a double pony or use them in pigtails. And now that headbands are back on trend, they can also easily dress up plain, inexpensive headbands - instead of paying a higher price for decorated ones at stores. You can easily change up a headband to match your outfit!

Slide opened shoe clip through all loops of your
ponytail rubber band.

Snap the shoe clip shut. Instant bling!

When you're on the hunt for shoe clips at estate sales, flea markets or antique shows, they are usually lumped in with the jewelry and very inexpensive. You may even be able to barter with the seller to buy the whole lot to take them off the table. As with anything vintage, find something that speaks to you and BUY IT!!!!

Here's an example of the find something that speaks to
you and buy it! This is a vintage bolero tie I bought
in an antique store in Cleveland.

I trimmed it down to shorten it. I saved the scraps in case I need
to replace any of the rhinestones in the pattern. You can see from this
side picture how the loops of the tie have stiff "snaps" inside of them
which allow the tie to be clipped in a collar of a shirt.